Machine tools



June 1963 R. E. FRUSHOUR ETAL 3, 7

momma TOOLS Original Filed Aug. 26, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 lhh. HllllmIIHM limb HHI 45 1 48-2 M (a? P2 1 28 Hill 36 Invenfors 0 Russel E.Frushour Z otto A.Costello P enfifm-ekas (vague B. Irish June 25, 1963R. E. FRUSHOUR ETAL 3,095,

MACHINE TOOLS 3 R 5 mom u t N." r e h ME w m M m n ms n o w W I m 0 h E.mB

ut a

:5 K 0 w W Original Filed Aug. 26, 1958 witness:

June 25, 1963 R. E. FRUSHOUR ETAL 3,095,072

MACHINE TOOLS Origin a1 Filed Aug. 26, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4- g lj willI IHII,

rll j 51 46 60 24s Fw- 7 Inventors R11 556! E Fruslzour Otto A CostelloSfephen E. Farekas 58R Witness: 591 551 Wags-2e 5. Irish J1me 1963 R. E.FRUSHOUR ETAL 3,095,072

MACHINE TOOLS Original Filed Aug. 26, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 o 5 MIlnvenhr'rs ,J/ Russel E.FrusE-wur 7 om A-.Costei&o 14$ Siepizen E=Farekas witness: Wayne B. Irish 51540 w WM??? Manley 3,95,:12 PatentedJune 25, i963 can This invention relates to machine tools andparticularly to mechanical power drives for the table thereof.

This application is a division of our co-pending application, Serial No.757,371, filed August 26, 1958, for Machine Tools.

In machine tools the work-holding table is usually mounted forlongitudinal reciprocation so that the table may be either set in aparticular position or moved back and forth in the course of awork-performing operation. Machine tools of the aforesaid character areof two general types insofar as the operation of the table may beconcerned, the machine tools in smaller sizes being provided in mostinstances with manually operable means for reciprocating the table,while in larger machine tools intended for automatic heavy dutyoperation, power means is usually provided for reciprocating the table.The power means may take the form of a hydraulic actuator or may be of amechanical character, and it is to mechanical power drive for machinetool tables that the present invention is directed.

The prior mechanical power drives for machine tool tables have, in mostinstances, been fairly elaborate both in their mechanical structure andin the control thereof, and it is the primary object of the presentinvention to enable such a mechanical drive for a machine tool table tobe relatively simple in character While at the same time achievingeificient table actuation and being capable of conventional control.More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide amechanical power drive for machine tool tables Where the variouscomponents of the drive are so distributed or located that efficientoperation is attained and undue concentration of eccentric weight on thetable is avoided.

Other and related objects of the invention are to provide a mechanicalpower drive for machine tool tables that is adapted particularly forsmaller sizes of machine tools and which is adapted for incorporation insuch machine tools in a way that preserves substantially the same normalmanner of manual actuation while enabling the table to be mechanicallydriven when this is desired.

A related object of the invention is to provide such a mechanical powerdrive that may be efiectively and conveniently controlled eithermanually or by table dowels, and which may also be controlled by safetytop mechanisms to disconnect the drive when the table has reached one orthe other of the two limits of travel.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description and claims, and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, which, by way of illustration, show a preferredembodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof, and whatis now considered to be the best mode in which to apply theseprinciples. Other embodiments of the invention en bodyin-g the same orequivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made asdesired by those skilled in the art without departing from theinvention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a right hand perspective View of a vertical milling machineembodyinx the mechanical power table drive of the present invention;

18 Claims.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front perspective of a portion of the machine tooltable;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the table and the related drivemeans;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the table andillustrated details of the drive; 7

PEG. 5 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially along the line55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of the table, the view being takenpartially in vertical section to illustrate internal features of thedrive mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view, taken partially in section, and illustrating thestart-stop clutch and the related safety stop mechanisms;

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the structure shownin HQ. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of one of the latchingplungers shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

For purposes of disclosure the invention i herein illustrated asembodied in a vertical milling machine having a rectangular base 26 withan upstanding column 27 located on the rear portion of the base 26. Atits upper end the column 27 has a head 28 supported forwardly of thecolurrn by means of an adjustable ram 29 and the head 28 includesdriving means whereby a spindle 3% in the head may be driven. Beneaththe head 28, an elongated reciprocable work-supporting table is carriedon a saddle 36, and the saddle in turn is supported on an adjustableknee 37. The knee 37 is arranged in the usual manner for verticaladjustment along guideways 27W formed on the forward face of the column27, and such adjustment is attained through the use of conventionaladjusting means including an operating handle 371-1.

The saddle 36 is arranged for adjustment toward and away from the frontof the column and is guided in such adjustment by adjusting meansincluding a handle 36H in the form of a hand wheel disposed at theforward end of the knee 37. The table 35 is guided in its longitudinalmovement across or along the top of saddle 36 by means including ways36W as indicated in FIG. 6 of the drawings.

The actuation or movement of the table 35 longitudinally across thesaddle 36 is accomplished by means including a table feed screw 4% thatis rotatably mounted on the lower side of the table as will be describedin some detail hereinafter, and the screw 49 engages a stationary nut 41that is fixed to the top of the saddle 36, as will be evidentparticularly in FIGS. 4 and 6 of the drawings. It is by rotation of thescrew that the longitudinal movement of the table 3'5 is produced, andthe mechanical power drive of the present invention is arranged to drivethe screw 4i) in one direction or the other to produce the desiredmovement of the table 35-.

In providing the mechanical power drive under the present invention,such drive is made up in several units that are associated with eachother and with the various elements of the machine to produce thedesired drive and control for the drive. Thus, as will be evident inFIG. 1, the mechanical power drive comprises a power unit 45 mounted atthe right side of the column 27 on the base 26, and this power drive isconnected to a main feed clutch unit as that is supported on the righthand side of the saddle 35 beneath the right hand end of the table 35.The main feed clutch unit 46 has its power output operatively associatedwith a main reversing clutch unit 47 that is mounted on the right handend of the table 35 and which includes a three position reversingcontrol handle 471-1. The main feed clutch unit 46 has the controlelement of the clutch thereof associated with a main clutch control unit48 that is mounted on the forward face of the saddle 36, and the mainclutch control unit 48 includes a main operating handle 48H whereby theclutch of the unit 46 may be engaged, a quick release handle 48R forreleasing the related clutch quickly when the occasion arises, and apair of release plungers 48-1 and 482 that are adapted to be operated,respectively, by table dogs 49 to release or disengage the feed clutchwhen the table 35 reaches one end or the other of the desired tablestroke.

The drive unit 45 is made up of a drive motor 45M and a change-speedgear box 450 that are carried on a frame 45F supported on the column andthe base at one side thereof. The motor 45M is belt-connected to theinput of the change-speed gear box and the output thereof is connectedthrough an overload release clutch 50 which has a universal jointconnection 51 with one end of a telescoping drive shaft 52 that extendsforwardly and connects with the main clutch unit 46. At its forward end,telescoped drive shaft 52 is connected by a universal joint 53, FIG. 6,.to an input shaft '54 that is supported in bearings 54B in the lowerhousing 146 of the unit 46. Within the housing 146 the shaft 54 has abevel pinion 55 that is meshed with a bevel gear 56 that is keyed to atransverse shaft 57, FIG. 7,'mounted in the housing 146. I The gear 56is disposed near one end of the shaft 57, and near its other end, theshaft 57 has a clutch sleeve 58 that is keyed to the shaft 57 and whichhas clutch teeth 58T formed on the left hand end thereof, as viewed inFIG. 7. The clutch member -8 is adapted to be moved back and forthbetween its released position as shown in FIG. 7 and an engaged positionwhere the teeth 5ST engage clutch teeth 59T formed on a. gear 59 that ismounted loosely on the hub of the bevel gear 56 and adjacent or oppositeone end of the clutch member 58. Thus, when the clutch member 58 isshifted to the left, the gear 59 is driven, and when it is thus driven,the rotation thereof is transmitted to an intermediate gear 60 that ismounted'on a shaft 698 that is parallel to the shaft 57 and disposedupwardly thereof in an upper housing portion 246 of the unit 46. It isfrom the gear 60 that the table actuating screw 40 is driven, as will bedescribed.

The unit 46, as above pointed out, constitutes a. main feed clutch unitfor the drive of the table 35, and the clutch member 58 is shiftedbetween its engaged and disengaged positions by a control shaft 61 thatis located above and transversely of the clutch member 58 so that theshaft 61 extends forwardly to a point just beyond the forward edge ofthe saddle 36. The shaft 61 is sup ported at its rear end in the housingsection 146, and within the housing section, the shaft 61 has aclutchoperating gear 62, the gear teeth thereof being located in anintermediate portion of the member and the end portions of the memberbeing in the nature of cylindrical bearing surfaces that ride incooperating bearing surfaces in the housing section 146. Within thehousing 146 the gear 62 has the teeth thereof meshed with the teeth of acircular rack 58R that is formed on the external surfaces of the clutchmember 58 so that by rocking movement of the shaft 61, the clutch member58 may be engaged and disengaged as desired. 7

The housing section 246 of course houses the gear 60 and is formed on arelatively long mounting plate 346 which may be'secured to the end ofthe saddle 36 by cap screws 346C. Near its forward end, the mountingplate has a downwardly projecting cylindrical bearing 61B through whichthe forward end of the shaft 61 projects, and a bearing collar 610 ispinned rearwardly of the bearing 61B, while an operating arm 61A ispinned or otherwise secured to the forward end of the shaft forimparting the desired rocking movement to the shaft 61 as will bedescribed.

It has been pointed out that the gear 60 acts in the drive of the tablescrew 40, and in accomplishing this, the gear 60 is drivingly connectedto a horizontal drive shaft 140 that is mounted in thetable parallel tothe screw 40.

The shaft 140 has a drive gear 160 slidably keyed thereto, as shown inFIGS. 6 and 7, the gear 160 being mounted in an upper portion of thehousing section 246 and being meshed with the gear 6t). The drive shaft140 of course moves longitudinally with the table 35 as Will bedescribed hereinafter, while the gear 160 remains inthe same location inthe housing section 246, but the driving connection between the gear 160and the table drive shaft 140 is maintained during such movement by theslidable splined or keyed connection between these elements.

The present power drive for the table is one which may be incorporatedin machine tools of the kind which normally have a manual tableactuating mechanism, and this incorporation of the present power drivemay be accomplished with but minor changes or substitutions in themounting of the screw 40 in the table. Thus, tables of the kind employedin such machine tools normally comprise a relatively large castinghaving the bottom portions thereof formed to provide the necessaryportions of the Ways 36W, and at the ends of this table casting, it isthe practice to provide end plates in which the table actuating screw ismounted. Under the present invention, the left hand end of the table 35may be provided with an end plate 135 that is in most respects the sameas would be used for a manual table actuating arrangement, the onlychange necessary being the provision of an flanged bearing 65 in the endplate 135 to receive and support one end of the table drive shaft 140.The usual thrust bearing arrangement 66 for supporting the left hand endof the screw 40 may be used, and the left hand wheel 67 may be the sameas employed Where the usual manual table operation is used.

7 At the other end of the table 35, however, the usual end plate is notused, and a special end plate 147 is provided on which .a hollow housing247 is provided to afford the housing of the reverse control unit 47 ofthe machine tool. Thus the screw 40 that is used in the power tabledrive of the present invention is somewhat longer than that which isused for the conventional manual drive, and the right hand end thereofis formed without threads where it projects beyond the end plate 147 andinto and through the housing 247. The right hand end of the screw 44),outside of the housing 247, has a hand wheel 167 thereon so that thehand wheels 167 and 67 may be utilized to manually adjust thelongitudinal position of the table in the same manner as with the usualhand operated table drive.

The other .and right hand end of the table drive shaft 149 is supportedin the right hand end wall 247W of the housing 247 by means of a flangedsleeve bearing 165, and adjacent to the end wall 247W of the housing247, the drive shaft 140 is drivingly connected to the drive screw 40 bymeans of a reversing clutch mechanism 70 that is governed and controlledby the reversing lever 47H.

In providing for the drive ofthe screw 40 fromthe drive shaft 140, .acluster gear 71 is keyed on the drive shaft 140 adjacent the right handend thereof as viewed in FIG. 4, and this cluster gear has a forwarddrive pinion 71F at its left hand end and a reverse drive pinion 71Rnear its right hand end, the reverse pinion 71R being of a somewhatsmaller pitch diameter than the forward drive pinion 71F. The reversedrive pinion 71R is meshed with a transmitting pinion 72, FIG. 5, thatis mounted on a stub shaft 73 adjacent to the right hand end wall of thehousing 247, and the transmitting pinion 72 is in turn meshed with agear 74 that is loosely mounted on the screw 40 in a fixed longitudinalposition as will be evident in FIG. 4, and the gears 74 and 75 are ofcourse spaced a substantial distance from each other in a directionlongitudinal of the screw 40. It is within this space that the clutchmechanism 70 is provided.

Thus, the clutch includes movable or shiftable clutch member 70C that iskeyed to the screw 40 for movement longitudinally thereofiand theadjacent faces of the gear 75 and the clutch member 70C have forwarddriving aoeaora clutch teeth 7ST formed thereon, while the adjacentfaces of the gear 74 for the other end of the clutch member 70C havereverse driving clutch teeth 741" formed thereon. The relationship issuch that when the clutch member 790 is in its central or mid-position,both sets of clutch teeth are disengaged, while shifting movement of theclutch member to the left in FIG. 4 engages the forward driving clutch7ST, while movement of the clutch member to the right in FIG. 4 engagesthe reverse driving clutch teeth 74 T. When the clutch member is in itsintermediate position, the table driving screw 4% may be operatedmanually with the same ease and for the same purpose as the usual manualtable operating means.

The clutch member 753C is shifted between its three positions by theoperating handle 47H which is secured by means such as a set screw 778to a clutch operating shaft 77 that extends rearwardly through the frontwall of the housing 247 as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings. A springdetent 177 in the handle 47H is adapted to be engaged with any one ofthree recesses 277 formed in a pad on the forward face of the housing,thereby maintaining the handle 475 in its forward position, its reverseposition, or its neutral position. The shaft 77 has a pinion 78 securedthereto by a set screw 735, the pinion 7S and the set screw beingaccessible through an opening in the bottom of the housing 24-7, and thepinion 78 is engaged with an annular rack l'itiC that is formed on theclutch member C, as will be evident in FIG. 4 of the drawings.

As hereinbefore pointed out, the main clutch member 58 is operatedprimarily under control of the handle 48H, and this handle 48H ismounted on top of the unit 4-8 which basically takes the form of arelatively large metal block 143 that is secured to the forward face ofthe saddle 36 by cap screws 483 that extend rearwardly through the blockand into the saddle 36. The handle 48H is mounted on the extended upperend of a shaft 81, FIGS. 8 and 9, that is rotatably in the block 148,and within the block near the lower surface thereof a relatively largegear 82 is fixed on the shaft 81 in such a position that the teeth onthe rear edge of the gear 82 are meshed with teeth of the an nular rack83 that is fixed on a horizontal clutch operating rod 84. The annularrack 83 and the clutch operating rod 84 are slidably disposed in amounting bore 85 that is extended horizontally into the block 143 fromthe right hand side thereof, as viewed in FIGS. 8 and 9, and within thebore 85 an expansion coil spring 86 is disposed in surrounding relationto the rod 34 so that the left hand end of the spring acts against theend of rack 83 while the right hand end of the spring acts against aclosure nut 85N that surrounds the rod 84 and is threaded into the bore85. The clutch operating rod 84 is thus constantly urged to the left asviewed in FIGS. 8 and 9 and such left hand movement of the rod 84 iseifective to move the clutch member 58 to its disengaged position. Thisresult is attained through a connection linkage extended from the rod 84to the end of the clutch operating arm 61A. Thus the outer end of therod 84 has a head 87 fixed thereon so as to extend downwardly, and a rod33 is pivoted at 87F to the head 87 and is extended horizontally fromthe pivot 87.? to the right and is pivotally connected at 88? to the endof the arm 61A, as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

With the arrangement thus provided, the clutch member 58 may be engagedby movement of the handle 48H to the rear in FIGS. 8 and 9, thus toimpart clockwise movement to the gear 82, and under the presentinvention, the gear 82 is maintained in its clutch-engaging position byreleasable latch means that may be released either by the safety releaselever 48?. or by actuation of either of the automatic control plungers48-1 or 48-2. Also, the clutch-operating gear 82 is latched in itsclutch releasing position during the actuation of either of the 6automatic control plungers 484 or id-2 to prevent further travel of thetable towards the control plungers, thus eliminating possible damageshould an attempt be made to actuate the control handle 48H.

In accomplishing the latching action, the gear 82 has a pair of bores orsockets 89B and d9D formed therein for selective engagement by a pair oflatching plungers 96B and 9tD that are mounted on vertical axes in theblock 148, as will be evident in FIGS. 8 and 9.

The plungers 99B and 9i'tD are similarly mounted and one of theseplungers is illustrated in detail in FIG. 10. Thus, with respect to theplunger 961), such plunger is mounted on the lower end of a cylindricalcarrier 91D that is mounted in turn for vertical movement in a guidebore 92D. The plunger 93]) has a head 191D at its upper end, and thishead is slidabie in a bore 93D that is extended upwardly through thebottom of the piunger 911). A sleeve nut 94D surrounds that portion ofthe plunger 9$D that is below its head and is threaded into the bore 94Dso as to guide the plunger 96D and limit its downward movement withrespect to the carrier 911). When the plunger is in its lowermostposition in its carrier, the lower end of the plunger 9%) projectssomewhat below the lower end of the carrier and may be engaged with thebore 89D to latch the gear $2 against rotation. A spring 95D locatedwithin the bore 93D urges the plunger toward its projecting position inwhich it is shown in FIG. 10. When the carrier 91D is moved downwardly,the plunger 96D ordinarily strikes the flat upper surface of the gear 82so that the plunger assumes a retracted position, the lower end of thecarrier 91D at this time being in engagement with the upper surface ofthe gear 82. Then when the gear 82 is rotated to bring the bore 39D intoposition beneath the plunger, the spring 95D urges the plungerdownwardly to its latching position.

The two carriers 91]) and 91E are interconnected for actuation in unisonin opposite directions so that one of the latching plungers is renderedineffective while the other is conditioned for latching operation whenthe related latching bore is moved into position beneath the conditionedplunger. Such actuating mechanism includes an elongated pinion 95 thatis disposed in a bore 958 that is extended forwardly through the rearsurface of the block 148, this bore 958 serving to support the pinion 95for rotation and being intersected at the 0pposite sides with thevertical bores in which the carrier-s 91B and 91D are mounted. Theforward end portion of the elongated pinion 95 is meshed at its oppositesides with annular racks that are formed on the upper end portions ofthe carriers. Thus, as viewed in FIG. 9, rotation of the pinion 95 in aclockwise direction serves to retract the carrier 91E and thus unlatchor release the plunger 99E while at the same time moving the carrier 91Ddownwardly so as to condition the plunger 931) for latching operation.This released and conditioned relationship of the two latching plungersis reversed by rotation of the pinion 95 in a counter clockwisedirection.

It has been pointed out that the release of the feed clutch may beaccomplished either by the handle 48R or by either of the plungers 48%or 48-2, and in accomplishing such operation, elongated pinions 96 and97 are positioned in bores 96B and 97B that are extended forwardly fromthe rear surface of the block 148. The bores 95B and 9513 at 97B havetheir axes located in a common horizontal plane, and these bores overlapso that the middle pinion 95 is meshed with the left hand pinion 95 andwith the right hand pinion 97 as viewed in FIG. 9. The pinion 97 ismounted on a horizontal shaft 98 that extends through the pinion 97 andis pinned thereto at 98? at its forward end, and the shaft 93 has thehandle 48R fixed thereon at its forward end so that the handle 48Rextends to the right from the shaft in a generally horizontal direction.Thus, by moving the handle vides a mechanical power 48R downwardly, thepinion 97 is rotated in a clockwise direction, and through theintermediate pinion 96, this imparts similar clockwise rotation to thepinion 95. The plunger 90E is thus withdrawn upwardly to unlatch thegear 82, and the spring 86 then becomes effective to release the feedclutch, and at the same time the gear 82 and the handle 48H are rotatedin a counterclockwise direction to the position shown in FIG. 9whereupon the conditioned latching plunger 90D enters the bore 89D andlatches the feed clutch in its disengaged relationship.

Upon release of the handle 48R, the pinion 95 is caused to rotate in acounterclockwise direction by the decompressing of the spring 101, whichwill he covered hereinafter. This releases the latching plunger 90D andconditions the latching plunger 9013 for operation. When it is againdesired to engage the feed clutch, the operator may then move thehandle'48H rearwardly until the bore 89E moves into position beneath theconditioned latching plunger 9015. The feed clutch is thus engaged, andthe latching plunger 90E becomes effective to retain the gear 82 inposition, thus to hold the feed clutch engaged.

The control plungers 481 and 48-2 are also effective to release thelatching plunger 9013, thus to permit the feed clutch to disengage. Inaccomplishing this, the two control plungers 481 and 482 are mounted inopposite ends of a horizontal bore 99 that is extended entirely throughthe block 148 near the rear face thereof, and this bore intersects theupper portions of the bores 95B, 96B and 9713. With this arrangement,circular racks 100 formed on the inner end portions of the plungers 48-1and 48-2 may and do engage the pinions 95 and 96, respectively. In thisrespect it is noted that the pinion 97 is grooved at 976 as shown inFIGS. 8 and 9 so that there is no engagement between the rack 100 of theplunger 48-2 and the pinion 97. The adjacent ends of the plungers 48-1and 48-2 have an expansive coil spring 161 acting therebetween, thus totend to move the plungers 48-1 and 482 into their projected positionswherein they extend considerably beyond the opposite sides of the block148, but such outward movement is limited by reason of the engagement ofthe racks 100 with respective pinions 95 and 96 and the rotation ofthese pinions in turn being limited by the range of movement of thecarriers 91E and 91D. 7

Thus, if the plunger 48-2 is pressed inwardly, it acts to impartcounter-clockwise rotation to the pinion 96 so that the pinion 95 willbe rotated in a clockwise or releasing direction. The latching plunger90E will thus be released and the feed clutch will be moved to itsreleased relationship.

Similar clutch releasing operation results from actuation of the plunger48-1 which is directly meshed with the pinion 95 so that the pinion willbe operated in a clutch-releasing or clockwise direction. Thus theclutch may be released by actuation of either of the plungers 434 or48-2 or by actuation of the safety release handle From the foregoingdescription it will be apparent that the present invention provides anew and improved mechanical power drive for machine tool tables, and itwill also be evident that the power drive of the present invention isafforded by a plurality of individual units that 'may be mounted in adistributed relationship on the machine tool in such a cooperatingrelation that the power drive for the table is rendered effectivewithout changing the usual manual operation of the table.

It will also be evident that the present invention prodrive formachinetool tables wherein the weight distribution of the power driveelements is unusually advantageous, and in particular that the powerdrive of this invention may be incorporated in a machine tool withoutimposing undue eccentric load *on the reciprocating table.

It will also be evident that the present invention provides a mechanicalpower drive for machine tool tables wherein a new and improved controlunit serves to govern the feed clutch and to provide the desirablesafety fea tures in such control. The safety control of the presentinvention is simple in character and compact in form so that it may bemounted on the forward face of the saddle of a vertical milling machinein the space that is customarily available forwardly of the saddle. Thesafety control is such that a single clutch releasing element may beactuated either by the operator or by table dogs at the ends of themaximum table stroke, or at the end of a pre-set working stroke, andthis is accomplished by means of a simple mechanical character so as toassure continued reliability of operation.

Thus, while we have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment ofour invention, it is to be understood that changes and variations may bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit andscope of the appending claims.

We claim:

1. A clutch control unit comprising a body, a rod member mounted in saidbody for longitudinal sliding move ment between finst and secondposition and adapted to be connected to a clutch for engaging anddisengaging the same, a gear member mounted in said body for movementangularly between first and second positions, means connecting themembers for movement in unison between their first and second positions,spring means urging said members to said first position, first andsecond latching devices operable, respectively, to latch said members insaid first or second positions, reversible latch control means forreleasing one of said latch devices and concurrently rendering the otherlatch device operative, manual means for reversing said latch controlmeans, manual means for shifting said members to said second positions,and control plungers in said body facing in opposite directions foractuation by the table dogs and connected to said latch control meansfor releasing said second la-tch device when either of said plungers isactuated.

2. A clutch control unit comprising a body, a rod member mounted in saidbody for longitudinal sliding movement between first and secondpositions, and adapted to be connected to a clutch for engaging anddisengaging the same, a gear member mounted in said body for movementangularly between first and second positions, means connecting themembers for movement in unison between their first and second positions,spring means urging said members to said first position, first andsecond latching devices operable, respectively, to latch said members insaid first and second positions, reversible latch control means forreleasing one of said latch devices and concurrently rendering the otherlatch device operative, manual means for reversing said latch controlmeans, manual means for shifting said members to said second positions.

3. A clutch control unit comprising a body, a member mounted in saidbody for shifting movement between first and second positions andadapted to be connected to a clutch for engaging and disengaging thesame, a handle mounted on said body for shitting said member fi'om saidfirst to said second position, spring means urging said member to saidfirst position, first and second latching devices operable,respectively, to latch said member in said first or second positions,reversible latch control means for releasing one of said [latch devicesand concurrently rendering the other latch device operative, manuallatch control means for reversing said latch control means, and controlplungers in said body facing in opposite directions for actuation bytable dogs and connected to said latch control means for releasing saidsecond latch device when able relative thereto, said member beingoperatively connected to the clutch for control thereof; axially movablepins supported by the body and engageable with said member, said pinsbeing operable to lock said member relative to said body; means biasingsaid member toward clutch disengage position; means for alternatelyreleasing one of said pins and simultaneously rendering the other pinoperable; said biasing means being responsive to the release of said onepin for moving said member to clutch disengage position.

5. In a control unit for a clutch, the combination of: a housing; amember supported by the housing and operatively connected to the clutchfor control thereof, said member being rotatable to a clutch-engagedcontrol position and a clutch-disengaged control position; a pair oflatch mechanisms guided by the housing, each comprising an elongatedsubstmtially cylindrical pin having an annular rack at one end thereofand having the other end adjacent said member and movable into lockingengagemeat with a portion of the member; a pinion rotatably supported bythe housing bet veen the pins and engage with said racks so that thepins are simultaneously displaced in opposite directions towards andaway from sm'd member, respectively, upon rotation of said pinion,alternately locking said member in either of the control positions,respectively; and means to rotate said pinion.

6. In a control unit for a clutch comprising: a body; a spring biasedmember slidably mounted on said body and 'operatively connected to theclutch for control thereof; said member having a rack thereon; a gearsupported by the body and engaged with said rack, said gear beingrotatable to the clutch-engaged and clutch-disengaged con trolpositions, respectively, and latch means secured to the body andoperable to lock said gear in one of said positions; actuating meanscomprising a pinion supported by the body and engaged with said latchmeans to urge said latch means into locking relationship with saidmember; and means for accommodating actuation of said actuating meanscomprising the combination of manual release means and automatic releasemeans.

7. A control unit for a clutch comprising: a frame; a rod supported bysaid frame and movable to control said clutch, said rod having a rackfixed thereto, and a compression spring about said rod urging saidclutch to the disengaged position; a gear member rotatably mounted onsaid frame and having teeth engaged with said rack; means for rotatinsaid gear to the clutch-engaged position; a latch mechanism comprising acarrier guided by said frame, said carrier being hollowed at one endadjacent said gear, a pin in said hollowed carrier spring biasedtherefrom and abuttable with said gear; said carrier being movabletowards and away from said gear member so that the pin therein isabutting or spaced from said gear member, said gear member having a holefor receiving the abutting pin and locking said gear member in saidclutch-engaged position; and means for moving said carrier.

8. In a control unit for a clutch, the combination of: a body; a rodmounted on said body and operatively connected to said clutch andmovable to clutch-engaged and clutch-disengaged control positions; saidrod having rack means thereon; a gear rotatably mounted on said body onan axis extending normal to said rod and having its teeth engaged withsaid rack means; means to rotate said gear; a pair of latch mechanismseach comprising a hollow carrier having an exterior rack, 21 pin withinsaid carrier, a spring urging said pin from said carrier towards saidgear, said carrier and pin having engageable abutments to constrain thepin within the car-rier; a pinion rotatably sup ported by the body on anaxis normal to said latch mechanisms and disposed between saidmechanisms and engaged with said racks; means to rotate said pinion,thereby displacing said mechanisms in opposite directions towards 'andaway from said gear, respectively, so that the carriers may bealternately selectively brought in close proximity of said gear with thecorresponding pin therein being spring-urged against said gear, said pinbeing registrable with an opening presented by the gear for locking saidunit in one of the control positions when the gear is rotated to thecorresponding position.

9. In a control unit for a clutch, the combination of: a housing; a gearhaving its axis supported by the housing and operatively connected tothe clutch and rotatable to a plurality of clutch control positions; apinion rotatably supported by the housing on an axis extending normal toand intersecting the first mentioned axis; latch mechanisms supported bythe housing on opposite sides of and engaged with the pinion andoperable simultaneously to move towards and away from said gear,respectively, upon rotation of said pinion to alternately engageportions of the gear for selectively locking said unit in any of saidplurality of clutch control positions.

10. In a control unit for a clutch, the combination of: a frame; amember carried by the frame and operatively connected to said clutch andmovable to a clutch-engaged control position and a clutch-disengagedcont-r01 position; two latch means supported by the frame and operableselectively to lock said member in one or the other of said positions;another member rotatably supported by the frame and engaging each ofsaid latch means and operable to selectively urge the respective latchmeans into the related clutch position; a pair of control plungerssupported by said frame and projecting outwardly therefrom on oppositesides thereof, said plungers being disposed normal to the rotative axisof said other member and associated with the other member whereby inwardaxial displacement of either plunger rotates said other member so thatthe related latch means is released from the clutchengaged position, andthe other related latch means simultaneously is actuated to theclutch-disengaged position; and spring means resisting the respectiveinward displacement of the related plunger.

'11. In a control unit for a clutch, the combination of: a frame; amember supported by said frame and operatively connected to said clutchand movable for control thereof; a latch pin supported by said framecomprising an elongated carrier axially guided by said frame towards andaway from said member and engageable with a portion thereof for lockingsaid member, said pin having a rack at one end thereof; a pinionrotatably supported by said frame and having teeth engaged with saidrack so that rotation of said pinion eifects axial displacement of saidpin; means to rotate said pinion; and means to maintain said pin inlocking relationship with said member.

12. In a control unit for a clutch, comprising: a housing; a memberrotatable in said housing and operatively connected to said clutch forcontrol thereof; a latch mechanism comprising a hollow carrier having anexterior rack at one end thereof, a plunger in said carrier and springbiased outwardly therefrom, said plunger and carrier having engageableabutments, respectively, limiting said outward movement, said carrierbeing movable towards and away from said member so that said plungerabuts and is spaced from said member, respectively; a pinion supportedby said housing and engaged with said rack for moving said mechanism;and means to actuate said pinion so that the mechanism may be brought inclose proximity of said member so the plunger is spring urged againstsaid member and is selectively registrable with spaced openingspresented by said member thereby locking said member in selective clutchcontrol positions.

13. In a control unit for a clutch, the combination of: a frame; a rodguided by said frame and operatively connected to the clutch and movableto clutch-engaged and clutch-disengaged control positions, said rodhaving teeth means thereon; a gear rotatably supported by the frame andhaving its teeth engaged with said teeth means, a handle on said gearfor manual rotation thereof; a pair of latch mechanisms each comprisinga hollow member having exterior rack means and having a pin in saidmember spring biased therefrom against limiting abutments on the pin andcarrier, respectively, said carriers being guided by said frame towardsand away from said gear with the pins adjacent but normally spaced fromsaid gear; a pinion rotatably supported by the frame between saidcarriers and engaged with said racks so that the car riers are displacedin opposite directions'upon rotation of said pinion, one of saidcarriers being brought in close proximity of the gear so that the pintherein is brought into abutting relationship with the gear and isregisn'able with a hole in the gear when the rod is in the clutchengagedcontrol position thereby locking the unit in said position; and a quickrelease device including a handle associated with the pinion, whereuponactuation of said device, said pinion is rotated in the opposite senseand said one carrier is displaced away from said gear and the othercarrier substantially simultaneously is brought into close proximity ofthe gear so that the pin therein resiliently abuts the gear and isregistrable with another hole in the gear when the rod is in theclutch-disengaged position.

14. A control unit for a clutch, comprising: a frame; a member supportedby the frame and rotatable to clutchengaged and clutch-disengagedcontrol positions and spring biased to the clutch-disengaged position;means to rotate the member to the clutch-engaged positions; means tolock said member in the last-mentioned position comprising a plungerguided by the frame and movable into engagement with said member; meansto quick release said member from the clutch-engaged position comprisinganother member supported by said frame and engaged with said plunger andmovable to withdraw the plunger from the engagement; and means to locksaid member in the clutch-disengaged position comprising another plungerguided by the frame and engaged with said other member and movable intoabutment and resiliently held in engagement with said member and beingsubstantially simultaneously operable upon actuation of said quickrelease means.

15. A controlunit for a clutch of a machine having a reciprocating workstroke, said unit being movableto a clutch-engaged control position anda clutch-disengaged control position and comprising the combination of:a housing; a rod guided by the housing and operatively connected to theclutch for control thereof and having teeth means thereon; a gear memberrotatably supported by the housing and having its teeth engaged withsaid teeth 7 means so that rotation of said gear effects movement of therod, said gear having a smooth surface with spaced recesses therein;means for setting said unit in either of said control positions; latchmeans supported by the housing and movable towards and away from saidsurface of the gear for alternately selectively engaging portions ofsaid gear comprising said recesses for locking said unit in either ofsaid clutch control positions, respectively;

means for moving said latch means; and means associated with the movingmeans for accommodating quick release of said unit from saidclutch-engaged control position comprising the combination of manualrelease meansrand automatic release means, said automatic release meanscomprising spaced control plungers movably supported by the housing andprojecting outwardly therefrom on opposite sides thereof, said plungersbeing abuttable with limiting dogs disposed on the machine atoppositetends of said work stroke for actuation thereof; and springmeansurging said unit to the clutch-disengaged control position.

16. -A control unit for a clutch used on a machine tool having areciprocating work stroke, the combination of: a frame; a membersupported by the frame and operatively connected to the clutch andmovable to a clutchengaged control position and a clutch-disengagedcontrol position; means fortmoving said member to either of saidpositions; a pair of locking mechanisms supported by the frame eachcomprising a, hollowed body having rack means, a pinin said hollowedbody spring biased therefrom against engageable limit abutments on thepin and the body, respectively, and adjacent said member; a pinionrotatably supported by the frame between said mechanisms and engagedwith said rack means so thatrotation of said pinion moves the mechanismsin opposite directions towards and away from said member, respectively,one of said locking mechanisms being brought in close proximity of saidmember so that the pin therein is resiliently urged against the memberand locks the member at the clutch-engaged position; and an automaticquick release device comprising a pair of plungers supported by andprojecting from opposite sides of the frame and operatively engaged withsaid pinion so that inward displacement of either plunger counterrotatesthe pinion and substantially simultaneously removes said one mechanismfrom locking relationship and brings the other mechanism into closeproximity with the member so that the pin therein is resiliently urgedagainst the member and locks said member at the clutch-disengagedposition, said inward displacement of-the plungers being effected byabutment thereof against limiting dogs mounted on the machine atopposite ends, respectively, of the work stroke.

17. A control unit for a clutch of a machine tool having a reciprocatingwork stroke, said unit being movable to a clutch-engaged controlposition and a clutchdisengaged control position and comprising thecombination of: a housing; a rod axially guided by the housing andoperatively connected to the clutch for control there- 'of, said rodhaving rack means thereon; a gear member rotatably supported by thehousing on a rotative axis normal to said rod and having its teethengaged with said rack means so that rotation of said gear efieots axialmovement of the rod, said gear having a smooth surface with spacedapertures thereon; spring means urging said unit to theclutch-disengaged control position; means for setting said unit ineither of said control positions; a pair of latch means supported by thehousing and simultaneously movable towards and away from said gear,respectively, for alternately engaging the gear and locking the unit inone or the other of the control positions, respectively, each of saidpair of latch means comprising a pin having a hollowed portion and anexternal annular rack, a plunger axially guided in the hollowed portionspring biased outwardly therefrom, mutually facing abutments on the pinand plunger, respectively, limiting the outward displacement of theplunger relative to the pin; a pinion rotatably supported by the housingbetween said pair of latch means on a rotative axis normal to themovement of the latch means and having its teeth engaged with saidracksso as to displace the latch means in opposite directions upon rotationthereof so that one of said latch means is brought in close proximity ofthe surface of the gear with the pin therein being spring biasedthereagainst and registrable with one of the apertures when the unit isin the clutchengaged position; and quick release means for disengagingthe clutch comprising the combination of manual release means andautomatic release means; said manual release means being a handlesupported by the housing and associated with the pinion to rotate saidpinion and move the one latch means away from the gear and lockingtherewith; said automatic release means comprising a pair of parallelaxially aligned control plungers supported by the housing and projectingfrom opposite sides thereof and having rack means thereon in operativeengagement with the teeth of said pinion, said control plungersextending pinion and being disposed so that inward axial displacement ofeither plunger rotates the pinion withdrawing said one latch means fromthe gear and locking therewith, the

inward displacements of the plungers resulting from abutment withlimiting control dogs disposed on the machine at opposite ends of thework stroke; the unlockingrotation of the pinion simultaneously bringsthe other of the latch means into close proximity of the gear so thatthe pin thereintis spring biased against the surface of the gear and isregistrable with the other of the apertures when the unit is in theclutch-disengaged position.

normally of the rotative axis of said 18. A control unit for a clutchmovable to the clutchengaged and the clutch-disengaged control positionsand comprising the combination of: a housing; a member supported by thehousing and operatively connected to the clutch for control thereof toeither of the clutch control positions, said member being movablerelative to the housing and having a smooth surface extending parallelto said movement, said surface having a pair of spaced recesses thereon;means for moving the member to either of the clutch control positions;lock means supported by the housing and operable to lock the member ineither of the positions, said lock means comprising a pair of hollowcarriers having plungers movable therein and spring urged therefromtowards the surface of the gear, abutments on the plungers and carriers,respectively, limiting the outward displacement of the plunger relativeto the carrier, said carriers having rack means thereon; a pinionrotatably supported by the housing between the carriers and engaged withthe rack means so that upon rotation of said pinion, the carriers aresimultaneously displaced towards and away from the member, respectively,the plunger in the carrier displaced towards the member abutting thesurface and being spring urged thereagainst so that when aligned withone of the recesses,

the plunger is urged therein locking the member, said one recess beingaligned when the member is in one of the control positions; uponopposite rotation of said pinion the respective locking carrier isdisplaced from the member and the other carrier towards the member sothat substantially simultaneously the member is unlocked from said oneclutch control position and the plunger in the other carrier is broughtto abut the surface and is spring urged thereagainst so that it may beregistrable in the other recess when they are mutually aligned lockingthe member in the other clutch control position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,945,486 Holmes Jan. 30, 1934 2,078,757 Flygare Apr. 27, 1937 2,091,985Holmes Sept. 7, 1937 2,129,620 Horton Sept. 6, 1938 2,253,459 Davis Aug.19, 1941 2,327,255 Flygare Aug. 17, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 792,315 GreatBritain Mar. 26, 1958

1. A CLUTCH CONTROL UNIT COMPRISING A BODY, A ROD MEMBER MOUNTED IN SAIDBODY FOR LONGITUDINAL SLIDING MOVEMENT BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONAND ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A CLUTCH FOR ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING THESAME, A GEAR MEMBER MOUNTED IN SAID BODY FOR MOVEMENT ANGULARLY BETWEENFIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS, MEANS CONNECTING THE MEMBERS FOR MOVEMENT INUNISON BETWEEN THEIR FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS, SPRING MEANS URGINGSAID MEMBERS TO SAID FIRST POSITION, FIRST AND SECOND LATCHING DEVICESOPERABLE, RESPECTIVELY, TO LATCH SAID MEMBERS IN SAID FIRST OR SECONDPOSITIONS, REVERSIBLE LATCH CONTROL MEANS FOR RELEASING ONE OF SAIDLATCH DEVICES AND CONCURRENTLY RENDERING THE OTHER LATCH DEVICEOPERATIVE, MANUAL MEANS FOR REVERSING SAID LATCH CONTROL MEANS, MANUALMEANS FOR SHIFTING SAID MEMBERS TO SAID SECOND POSITIONS, AND CONTROLPLUNGERS IN SAID BODY FACING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FOR ACTUATION BY THETABLE DOGS AND CONNECTED TO SAID LATCH CONTROL MEANS FOR RELEASING SAIDSECOND LATCH DEVICE WHEN EITHER OF SAID PLUNGERS IS ACTUATED.